Control device



MEW 44- D. G. TAYLOR cNTRoL DEVICE Filed April 26, 1941 Fig@- l Daniel G1. Tag-lof vPatented May 16, 1944 2,349,209 l A CONTROL DEVICE Daniel G. Taylor, Minneapolis', Minn., assignor to Minn eapolls-Honeywell Regulator Company,

Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application April 26, v,1941, Serial No. 390,553

'l'he present invention relates generally to auto- 15 Claims.

matic control devices, and more particularly to devices for automatically controlling pressure operated valves. n

It is old in the prior art to control the pressure on a diaphragm valve by means of an electromagnetically operated pilot valve, Many ofl sealing means for sealing the pilot valve from the electromagnet.

A still further object is to provide the device with a mechanical limit control mounted on the gas valve body for actuating the pilot valve independently of the electromagnet to cause closure of the main gasvalve.

Still another object is to provide the armature These and other objects will readily occur to those skilled in the art as the following Specication is read in the light of the accompanyingv drawing in which Y Figure 1 is a side view of a diaphragm gas valve embodying my invention and showing the mechanical limit control in place, parts being shown in section;

Figure' 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 1 with the cover removed and withou the mechanical limit control,

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view of the unitary pilot valve assembly, and

Figure 4 is a detailed view of the manual operator for the pilot valve, the -parts being shown in operative position.

mounted on the gas valve body, and to provide I of the electromagnet with a manual operator for actuating the armature in the event of a power failure, and^where the mechanical limit control is used to provide for its being operative to perform its limiting function independently'of the manual operator.

Manual devices for operating armatures of electromagnets during periods of power failure are old in the art. vbiased to inoperative position and are manually .actuated and then maintained in' their operative positionsv by friction devices or latches which are released automatically upon reenerglzation of the electromagnet. It is an object of this invention to provide such a manual device in the form of an ova-centery toggle mechanism, the over-center action of the toggle in combination with the unattracted armature of the electromagnet acting to maintain the device in its operative position;l but being released for movement to its inoperative position upon reenergization Such devices are usually of the electromagnet. The manual device closes the usual recycling contacts on movement to operative position so vthat on resumption of powtion of the switch which is normally in control of the circuit to the electromagnet.

Referring now to Figure '1, the reference numeral III indicates generally a diaphragm gas valve which comprises a lower valve body II, generally circular in outline, and having a gas inlet chamber I2 'and a gas outlet chamber I3. The inlet and outlet chambers are separated by means of a partition It having a valve opening surrounded by an annular valve seat I5. The upper valve body I6 is circular in shape to, conform with the lower valve body and is sultably secured thereto by any means, such as, screws I'I'. A circular diaphragm IB is clamped between the two valve bodies Il and I6 to form a seal. This diaphragm is adapted to cooperate with'the valve seat I5 for controlling gas ow through the body II, and is provided on its Aupper surface with a backing plate 20 which is suitably secured thereto by means of a stem and is hollowed out to form a pressure chamber 25, one wall qf which ls formed by the diaphragm 18. A passageway 26 connects with the pressure chamber 25 and extends through the upper surface of the valve body I6. The lower valve body II is provided with a passageway 21, indicated in dotted lines, which connects with the inlet gas chamber I2 and extends through the upper surface of the valve body II and also through the diaphragm I8 and through the upper surface of the upper valve body IB. A third passageway shown in dotted lines at 28 entends through the upper surface ofthe valve body I6 and' through the sidewall thereof.

A unitary pilot valve assembly indicated generally at 30 is provided with three openings through its base as indicated at 3l, 32 and 33 in the sectional view shown -in Figure 3. This pilot valve assembly 30 is mounted upon the upper surface of the valve body i3 so that the opening 3l registers with the passageway 28, the opening 32 registers with the passageway 23 andthe opening 33 registers with the passageway .21. The pilot valve assembly is suitably secured to the valve body I3-by any means, not shown, and is sealed ,with respect thereto by means of the gasket 35. Referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that this pilot valve assembly is provided with a chamber 33 which communicates through opening 33 with passage 21 and hence the inletpchamber of the lower-valve body and will therefore be termed the inlet chamber of the pilot valve assembly. The -ball valve 31 is biased by means of a spring 33 toward its seat, but when moved to open position permits a flow ci gas from the inlet chamber 33 to a chamber 40 which communicates through the opening 32 with passageway 2li and the pressure chamber 25 above the diaphragm I8. The ball valve lll is biased to its seat by means of the spring 42, but when in open position. provides for communication, through the openingiii, between the chamber 43 and the outlet chamber 33 which communicates with the atmosphere through the passageway 23. If desired, the waste gas issuing from time to 4time from the outlet end of the passageway 28 may be conducted'to the main or pilot burner where it will be consumed.

The chamber 40 is sealed from the atmosphere by means of a flexible diaphragm 43 which is suitably clamped to the pilot valve assembly 30 by any suitable means such as the frame 41 and screws 43. The rocker 33 is pivoted to the frame 41 as shown at 3|. `The rockerl 30 carries adjustable screws 32 and 33 whose stems extend inwardly toward the pilot valve assembly and engage the diaphragm 43 through openings in the frame 41 for actuating the ball valves 31 and 4I. The rocker and actuating screws 32 and 33 are so arranged thatvwhen the rocker assumes a mid-position both of the valves 31 and 4I are closed whereby the pressure within the pressure chamber 23 remains at a, steady value. When the rocker 33 is rotated slightlyin a clockwise direction from mid-position to the position shown therefore provided with a slotted extension 33. IIhe upper face of the valve body I3 is provided with a pair of internally threaded projections 31 which support a plate 33. The lower threaded end of the hexagonal supporting members 59 extend through holes in the plate 53 and into the tapped projection 51 to securethe plate thereto. The plate 38 suitably carries a L-shaped bracket 33 upon which is mounted the electromagnet 3|. An armature 62 is pivotally mounted on the upper end of the bracket 30, and if desired, may

` carry an electrical bridging blade, not shown, for

bridging the two stationary contacts 33, shown in Figure 2, when the electromagnet is energized. The contacts 33 are mounted upon the ends of resilient contact strips which are suitably supported in the insulating bracket 34. A second pair of electrical contacts 63 may be supported in the same manner. The armature is biased to its raised or unattracted position by means of the tension spring 31 which engages in the armature 32 at its upper end and to a fixed projection 68 at its lower end.

Suite-bly secured to the armature 32 is a bracket 10 which extends downwardly and carries' a resilient blade 1I anda still.' backing member 12.

The resilient blade 1I is biased against the member 12 and is provided with a laterally. extending foot 13 which extends within the slot in the slotted member 53.

As the electromagnet 3i. is energized the armature 32 is pulled downwardly so'that the resilient blade 1i is moved to the right as seen in Figures 1 and 2, thereby rotating 'the rocker 3l in Figure 3, thev actuating screw 32 forces the ball valve 31 .away from its seat at which time gas can pass from the inlet chamber I2 through the passageway 21 to chamber 33 and hence via chamber 43 and passageway 23 into the pressure chamber 25. At this time the pressure above and below thev diaphragm I3 will be approximately the same and the diaphragm will therefore fall to the seat I3 by gravity. Inasmuch as the outlet chamber I3 is adapted to be connected to a burner, the pressure in this chamber will decrease to' atmospheric pressure with the result that the pressure in the chamber 23 will now hold the diaphragm iirmly on its seat. It the rocker 33 is now rotated in acounter-clockwise direction it will permit the biasing spring 38 to close valve 31 thereby closing oi the communication sure in the chamber 25 to atmospheric permitting the gas pressurev within the inlet chamber I2 to force the diaphragm i4 upwardly and raise it from the seat I3, thereby establishing maximum flow o! gas through the body I I.

The rocker 33 is adapted to be actuated automatically by means of an electromagnet and is 23 in a counter-clockwise direction'as seen in Figures 2 and 3' which will result in the opening-of valve 4I and closing of valve 31 to reduce theI pressure in chamber 25 and open the main diaf phragm gas valve. When the'I electromagnet is deenergized the rocker 33 is returned to the position shown in Figures 2 and 3 in which the valve 31 is open and the valve'4i closed with the result that the main diaphragm valve is closed.

`The stationary contacts 33 may be used, if desired, to close Aa holding circuit through a bimetallic thermostat in control of the circuit to the electromagnet where this thermostat is of the type used, for example, in the Denison Patent 1,607,392. 'I'he stationary contacts 33 are recycling contacts which are used in connection with the manual operator for the pilot valve which will now be described. l

Obviously if the power supply to the electromagnet should fail, the armature 32 would drop out and move the pilot valve assembly to the position shown in Figure 3, causing the closure of Athe main diaphragm valve. If itv is desired to open the main valve during such power failure,

some manual means for accomplishing this must be provided. In the present device this manual means takes the form of a lever 15 which is pivotally mounted at 13 to a projection on the upper valve body i3. The link I3v is pivotally connected yat one end of the lever 13 and at the other end to a connecting leg 13 -which extends downwardly from a bracket 33 pivotally connected at 3l to the bracket 1 3 on the amature 32. Tension spring 33 is connected at its left hand end Y to a downwardly extending ear on the leverl 15 and its other end toan ear on the plate 53. The spring 33 therefore biases the lever 13 for rotation in a counter-clockwise direction, this rotation beinglimited by the engagement of the leit hand end of lever 13 with the face ofA the valve body I3 as shown in Figure 1. It will be recalled added tesine device described above.

movement of the bracket 90 but not enough to` cause the bridging member 95 to bridge the stationary contacts 99. If it is desired to manually` actuate the pilot valve assembly during a power failur'e, the operator has only to lift the left hand end of the lever"15 and move this lever over-center with respect to the link 19 to a position shown in Figure 4 and the extent of this movement is limited by the extension 99 which engages the upper face of the valve body i9. This movement causes the bracket 90 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction at which time the bridging member 95 strikes the projection 99 on the armature 92 and rotates the armature in a counter-clockwise direction, thus causing it to rotate the. rocker 51| and open valve 9i and close valve 31, which will of course result in the opening of the main gas valve. It will be remembered that the amature .92 is biased to its unattracted position by means of the spring 5,1 and that the effect of this spring is totend to rotate the amature and the bracket 90 in a clockwise direction from that shown in Figure 4 with the result that the connecting leg 19 exerts an endwise force on the link 19 toward the left. The effect of this force is to prevent spring 99 from sembly I0 andis supported by the upper face oi the valve body i9 and has an extension which cooperates with one of the supports 59. The housing 90 is provided with a bellows assembly 9| having a capillary' tube 92 for connection with either a source of variable pressure or with a bulb containing a thermally sensitive uid. 'I'he usual bellows is located within the casing 9| for actuating the stem 93. The stern 99 is adapted tov engage in a dwell 94 in an actuating lever 95 pivotally supported on a knife edge 99. The lever 95 is biased by means of a main adjusting spring 91 attached to a suitable adjusting screw 99 and having a pointer 99 cooperating with a scale |00 for indicating the temperature or pressure value at which the lever 95 will be actuated. If it is desired that this lever 95 operate the pilot valve mechanism rapidly from one position to another. itNis necessary that a snap action mechanism be\provided. Such mechanism has been shown in Figure l and comprises a lever. |0| pivoted to thel housing 90 at |02. Adjustable spring |03 biases'the lever lill for rotation in a clockwise returning the lever 15. In other words. the biasshown in Figure 4 is sulcient to cause the bridging member 85 to electrically connect stationary -contacts 99. T'hese contacts form the usual 'e-- cycling switch which close a shunt circuit to the electromagnet .to provide for its immediate energization upon resumption of electrical power.l When power is resumed the electromagnet .9| will-therefore be energized and the parts are sc arranged that this energization is capable oi" causing a slight additional counter-clockwise movement of the amature 92 which additionally tensions the spring 51. It will be noted that now Y the electromagnet, and not the toggle mechanism,

is holding the spring 91 in its tensioned condition. 'Ihis removes the bias' from the` bracket 90 and allows the biasing spring 99 to return the lever 15 to the position-shown in Figure 1. To state it diilerently,'as long as there is no power on the electromagnet 5| the toggle mechanism formed by the lever 15 and the link 18 must hold -the spring 91 in its tensioned condition. but as soon as power is resumed the electromagnet 9| is operative to tension .the spring 91 and therefore the toggle mechanism is relieved of this work, the force having been removed .from the link 19. The biasing spring 99 is operative to return thelever 15 to its original position', the recycling switch 99 is openedv and .the device returns to the control of the switch which normally controls energization of the electromagnet 9i.

Ifdesired, a mechanical limit control may be This medirection. A link |09 is located between an extension |05 on the lever |0| and an extension |06 on the lever 95. As the stem 93 moves downwardly and rotatesv the lever 95 in a. clockwise direc-A tion, itwill result in a rotation of 'the link |09v with the result that the spring |99 will exert a force on the lever 95 through the link |04 at such an angle that it will tend to rotate the lever 95 in a clockwise direction. If the eiect of the spring |03 on the lever 95 is made suficiently great to over compensate the combine'dl spring rates of the bellows and springs 91 and |09, then the movement of the lever 95 will take the place with a snap action. On a decrease in pressure within the bellows housing 9i the lever 95 will be snapped in the opposite direction.' The theory of producing a snap action by over compensating the spring rate of an actuating bellows is an old and well known type of action and will thereforenot be described i'urther.

The lower end of the lever 95 is provided with an adjustable screw ||0 which is adaptedto engage an extension on the rocker 59 when the lever 95 is snapped to its clockwise position. This results in a movement oi' the rocker to the position shown in Figures 2 and 3. If the armature j-erative to actuate the pilot vvalve assembly in a Vmanner to close the main diaphragm valve regardless of the position o! the manual -lever 15 orthe armature 92. The purpose of this is to provide a safe limit control which can always close the main gas valve incase a dangerous conchanical limit control may take .the -form oi' a dition is found to exist in the system heated by either the mechanical limit control alone or the l manual operator 15 alonemay be used in combination with the diaphragm valve, pilot valve and electromagnet; or if desired, both the manual operator and the mechanical limit controller may be used on the assembly.

An insulated panel H5 is shown as being mounted on suitable projections on the valve body I6 by means of the screws H6. 'I'his panel may be provided for making suitable electrical connections to the eiectromagnet as well as the recycling contacts 66. Also the device may be provided with a cover which is shown atV il'l in Figure 1 which may be fastened on by means of the screws H8 which extend into ithe supporting members 59. Where the mechanical limit control is used the screw H8 may also assist in fastening the housing 90 to one of the sup- Ports 69.

Various changes and modifications in the above device will undoubtedly occur to those who are skilled in the art, and I therefore desire to be limited by the scope of the appended claims rather than by the specific embodiment which has been disclosed for the purposes of illustrationonly.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a control device, a rst rotatably mounted membena second rotatably mounted member pivotally connected to and adapted to be rotated by said first member, means biasing said members for rotation to a rst position, said rst member being rotatable over center with respect to said second member to a second position, means opposing said biasing means to prevent the return of said members to said nrst position. and electromagnetic means which when energized renders said opposing means inoperative whereby said biasing means returns said members to their first position.

2. In a device of the character described, a control device, an lectromagnet actuating said device to a rst' position when energized and to a second position when deenergized, manual means including an over center toggle mecha- ,ure or power to said electromagnet, said levermay be manually rotated over center with respect to said link and against the action of said second spring means to move said armature toward its attracted position, said first spring means exerting a longitudinal force on said link through said armature and connecting means. the effect of said force being toprevent said second spring means from rotating said lever over center to its original position, said electromagnet, upon reenergization, attracting said armature and removing the force of said rst spring means on said link whereby said lever is released `for movement under the influence of second spring means, a control device actuated to axtlrst operative position by said armature when it is in its unattracted position, and to a second. operative position when said armature is moved by said manual lever or as a result of attraction by said electromagnet, and means operative to actuate said control device to its iirst operative position independently of said electromagnet and nism biased to inoperative position but manually operative so long as said electromagnet is dei energized t oppose the bias on said manual means and preventI it from returning to inoperative position, said electromagnet, upon energization, rendering said opposing means inoperative whereby said manual meansreturns to its inoperative position, and means operative to actuate said control device to its second position independently of either said electromagnet or said manual means.

3. In a device of the character described, an electromagnet, an armature therefor, spring means biasing said armature to its unattracted position, a pivotally mounted lever, a link connected to said lever to form a. toggle, a second spring means biasing said lever to a rst position, means operatively connecting said link and armature whereby, upon a failure of power to said electromagnet, said lever may be manually rotated over center with respect to said link and against the action of said second spring means to move said armature toward its attracted position, and said rst spring means exerting a longitudinal force on said link through said armature and connecting meansVthe effect of said force being to prevent said second spring means from rotating said lever over center to its original position, said electromagnet, upon reenergization, attracting said. armature and removing manually operated lever.

5. -In a device of the character described, an electromagnet, an armaturel therefor biased to its unattracted position, manual means for moving said armature towards its attracted position during periods when said electromagnet is deenergized, said manual means comprising a toggle mechanism biased to an inoperative position on one side of dead center and being movable manually to an operative position on the other side of dead center, the toggle mechanism being constructed and arranged so that the bias tends to return it to inoperative position when on said other side of dead center the biased armature being so constructed and arranged in mechanical relation with the toggle mechanism to prevent the return of said toggle mechanism due to'its own bias.

6. In a device of the character described, an electromagnet, an armature therefor biased to its unattracted position, manual means for moving said armature towards its attracted position during periods when said electromagnet is deenergized. said manual means comprising a toggle mechanism biased to an inoperative position on one side of dead center and being movable manually to an operative position on the other side of, dead center, the toggle mechanism being constructed and arranged so that the bias tends to return it to inoperative position when on said other side of dead center the biased armature being so constructed' and arranged in mechanical relation with the toggle mechanism to prevent the return of said toggle mechanism due to its own bias, a control device actuated to a first operative position by said armature when it is in its unattracted position, and to a second operative position when said armature is moved by said manual lever or as a result of attraction by said electromagnet, and means operative to actuate saidcontrol device to its rst operative position independently of said electromagnet and manually operated lever.

'7. A pilot valve mechanism for a pressure operated valve comprising in combination, a pilot valve, an electromagnet comprising an armature, a strain release connection between said armature and said pilot valve, a bellows adapted to form an element oi a condition responsive assembly, and a connection between said bellows and said pilot valve independent of said strain valve independent oi' said strain release connection so that said bellows can move said pilot valve independently of said electromagnet and said manual means.

9. A pilot valve mechanism for a pressure operated valve comprising in combination, a pilot valve, an electromagnet comprising an armature, a strain release connection between said armatureand said pilot valve, a bellows adapted to form an element of a condition responsive assemb1y,vand snap action mechanism connecting said bellows to said pilot valve independently oi said strain release connection so that said bellows can move said pilot valve independentlyl oi said electromagnet.

10. In a pilot valve mechanism adapted for use with a pressure responsive motor means in-r cludlng a pressure chamber and a diaphragm forming one wall of said pressure chamber, a unitary supply and waste valve-assembly comprising a valve housing. supply and waste valves in said housing. a ilrst passage adapted to extend from a iiuid source`to said supply valve, a second e adapted to connect said pressure chamber 'with both said supply and waste valves,

a roclrahle member -for actuating said supply and waste valves, said member having a rst position in which said supply valve is closed and said wastevalve is open for venting said pressure chamber. and a second position in which said waste valve is closed andsaid supply valve is open for' connecting said pressure chamber with said duid source. diaphragm means sealing said supplv and waste valves with respect to said rocker. a irst means mechanically actuating said rocker from one of its positions to the other, and a second means for mechanically moving said rocker into one of its positions without affecting the position oi' the ilrst means.

il. .a pilotvalve mechanism adapted ior controlling a pressure responsive motor means inclu a pressure chamber. said vvalve mechanism mounted ina unitary housing, supphr and waste valves in said housing, a rockable m ior actuating said supply and waste valves, said member having a rst position in which scid supply valve is closed and said waste valve is opemand` a second position in which said waste valve is closed and said supply valve is open, diaphragm means sealing said supply and waste valves with respect to said rocker, an

' housing.

electromagnet mounted adjacent said valve Van armature therefor, connecting means betweensald armature and rocker whereby said armature when attracted by said magnet causes said rocker to assume one of its positions, and when not attracted causes said rocker to assume its other position, and means operative to move saidrocker to its said other position independently of said armature while said armature is in its attracted position.

' 12. A pilot valve mechanism'adapted for con trolling a pressure responsive motor, said valve mechanism being adapted to be mounted in a unitary housing, supply and waste valves in said housing, a rockable member for actuatingv said supply and waste valves, said member having a i first position in which said supply valve is closed and said waste valve is open, and a second position in which said waste valve is closed and said supply valve is open, diaphragm means sealing said supply and waste valves with respect to said rockerl an clectromagnet mounted adjacent said valve housing, an armature therefor, connecting means between said armature and rocker whereby said armature when attracted by said magnet causes said rocker to assume one of its positions, and when not attracted causes said rocker to assume its other position. manual means for moving the rocker to its said one position in the event of the failure oi electrical power for said electromagnet, and means for releasably retaining said rocker in its said one position, said electromagnet releasing said retaining means upon the return of electrical power. i

13. In a control device, a unitary supply and waste valve assembly system comprising a valve housing having a base. a Vsupply chamber. a vented chamber, and a controlled chamber in said housing, a supply valve in said housing and controlling ilowfrom said supply to said controlled chamber, a waste valve in said housing and controlling ow from said controlled to said vented chamber. a rocker mounted on said housing, diaphragm means sealing the chambers in said housing from said rocker, a ilrst means for mechanically moving saidrocker back and forth between a nrst position in which said supply valve is closed and said waste valve open to connect said pressure and vented chambers,

\ and a second position in which said waste valve is closed and said supply. valve open to connect v 'actuating said supply and waste valves, dlaphragm means sealing said valves with respect -to said rocker, first means mechanically controlling movement oi' said rocker between a first position inwhich said supply valve is open and I waste/valve closed and a second position in which said supply valve is closed and waste valve open, and second meansior mechanically moving said rocker to one of its positions without affecting the position of said nrstmeans. v

15. A pilot valve mechanism adapted for controlling a pressure responsivev motor means including a pressure chamber and a diaphragm forming one wall of said pressure chamber, said, position, and means for actuating said pilot valve mechanism comprising a pilot valve means and means to said first position while said e1ectroan electromagnet comprising an armature, a magnet is energized without affecting the posistrain release connection between said armature tion 'of said armature. said last named means and said `pilot valve means and normally eec- 5 being operable on said pilot valve means inde- 'tive when said amature is moved to energized pendently of said strain release lconnection.

position to move said pilot valve means :from a firstcontrolling position to a second controlling l DANIEL G. TAYLOR. 

